Happy Birthday, Weevil
by JaxGalaxie
Summary: Weevil's friends throw him a party, and what ensues is a sight to behold. Set in a future timeline after DSOD where Weevil, Rex, and Yugi's gang are now all friends.


Happy Birthday, Weevil

The party was a far cry from the more lavish gatherings that the Underwoods usually took part in—just a single table rented in a small, dimly-lit and quiet diner hidden off some at nook away from the main streets of Domino, run by a friendly old couple who sometimes took the customers' orders.

"Happy Birthday, dear Weevil, Happy Birthday to you~!" the people seated at the table sang and cheered as a huge cake drizzled in honey and chocolate was presented to the teen with turquoise hair and thick, gold-rimmed glasses. He scrunched up his nose a bit and pouted, eyes closed as he made a wish, before taking a deep breath and blowing the candles out.

"Hooray!" his companions cheered, some giving him congratulatory slaps on the back and ruffling his hair. He swatted them away like they were insects ungracefully, but he bent his head to hide the small smile forming on his lips.

"So, mister birthday bug, how's it feel to be one of the big kids now?" Joey kidded him, nudging him playfully with his elbow.

"It's alright, I guess," Weevil said with a shrug. "I never really was one to go out and celebrate my birthday that much."

"Aww, but we're glad to have you around," Tristan said. "You're our lil' bug boy!"

"And when are you going to stop calling me that? Might I remind you, it's my birthday right now, so you don't get to tease me!" Weevil snarled.

"But I thought you said you aren't one to celebrate?" Duke winked at him. "That means that you're just gonna treat it like an ordinary day, right?"

"W-Well… you guys were the ones who surprised me… so you've gotta deal with that! Hmph!" Weevil crossed his arms and stuck out his tongue at them, despite having just turned nineteen, which made the others sigh, shake their heads, and laugh. They wouldn't have even found the restaurant if Rex Raptor hadn't told them about the plan to surprise Weevil for his birthday.

"He hates celebrating his birthday," Rex had informed them. "But that's only because he hates spending it around certain people, and he never really got to control who he invites. But that can change now." And, Rex made his friends gasp and look at each other with wide-eyed glances when he added, "besides, he likes you guys."

"Whoa! Bug boy likes us?!" Joey had exclaimed, prompting Rex and the others to shush him before he lowered his voice. "But I thought bug boy didn't like anyone!"

"He just acts like he hates everyone because he thinks that that way, nobody can get to him," Rex explained. "Please, guys… I wanna throw it in his favorite restaurant and let's get him a honey cake and everything. Will ya do it with me?"

Presently, large slices of cake were being passed around, and toasts with fizzy drinks were being called—for Weevil's good health, his future, his family, and his dreams. Weevil raised his glass and smiled as each of his companions stood up and recited a speech for him, some having prepared, like Yugi and Tea, and some having improvised, such as Joey, Duke, and Tristan. Ryou and Espa read him a poem they co-wrote, and when it was Rex's turn to finally speak, he stood up, smiled, and said:

"Weevil, you've come a long way from that little boy in the bowl-cut that I met back in the regionals when we were just kids. Can you imagine that was five years ago already? And here you are, grown into a real swell guy, and you continue to grow into this great person with each and every day. The road's not gonna be easy out there, and well, I think you know that the road hasn't exactly been kind to us even now… but you'll get there. I know ya will, yer Weevil Underwood! You won't let anyone take anything away from you, and most of all, you're a fighter. I'm proud to call you my best friend, pal. This is gonna sound cheesy but you inspire me in more ways than one. And you're always there for me, Weevil, even in the roughest-and weirdest-times in life. I hope that I can be there for you the way that you've been there for me.

"Growing up's pretty tough, and I'll admit, I might not be the best person to give this sorta advice because I don't feel very grown-up myself. But I guess if there's one thing I've learned, it's that friends and good company are one of the things that really get you through your darkest days and see you through to your brightest ones. So, Weevil, I hope that you'll always be surrounded by great company, if not literally (because I know you're not into crowds), at least figuratively or as they say, in spirit. We're always here for ya if ya need us. We love you."

"That was so sweet!" Tea commented, giving a light applause.

"Charming indeed!" added Ryou, and Espa gave a nod of approval.

Joey wiped away a tear. "Aww! There's enough sap for a beetle like him to feed on in that speech!"

"Ahh, quiet, you!" Weevil lightly punched Joey in the shoulder playfully.

The bug duelist stood up slowly and cleared his throat. "I… have some things to say myself."

Murmurs swished through the small crowd of Weevil's companions as he took another deep breath and readied himself to speak.

"I'm not exactly the cuddliest person on earth," he began. "And I'm not affectionate. I can be mean, downright nasty, when I want to—"

"Tell us something we don't already know!" Tristan kidded, and Yugi hushed him from the side.

"Go ahead, Weevil," Yugi encouraged.

"…As I was saying," continued Weevil with a slight glare. "I'm not the best person on Earth. So I often wonder why the best people are stuck with me."

Duke raised an eyebrow, and Tristan sat upright. Joey even leaned forward on the table, placing his hands before him neatly. Tea and Yugi leaned on each other as they listened, Espa laid his hands on his lap, and Ryou stopped stirring his drink.

Rex looked at Weevil and smiled.

"To many of you here, I owe you an apology, and I can't even fully look you all in the eyes—not yet, at least. But one day I believe I will deserve it. I'm more than willing to work for that moment," began Weevil. "I'm sorry, not just for my mistakes, but for who I was in the past. I've hurt many, if not all of you. And I'm grateful that you've all given me a chance to change. It's not an opportunity that I'm about to waste."

Was it just Rex or were Weevil's cheeks slowly turning a sheer rosy color? There was sweat pouring down his neck, but the others didn't seem to notice, too keen on listening to his speech. Rex blinked as he saw Weevil gulp. Weevil was never the type to get nervous.

"Secondly, thank you for this wonderful birthday party. I really, really, really didn't want to celebrate my birthday- I just don't like to in general- but you have made this day that I dreaded so much worth it. Thank you, for the food, for the company, for the music, for the speeches."

He was really shaking now, and his face was now a burning shade of cherry. Rex noticed his voice had become somewhat squeaky, squeakier than his usual shrill. He wanted to ask Weevil if he was okay but when he opened his mouth to speak, Weevil gave him a look, and so Rex backed down and decided to listen to the rest of it.

"Lastly… you guys have all been amazing f…f…f-friends…" Weevil choked the final word out. His face was as bright and as red as a tomato, and Rex could almost see steam pouring out from his ears. "I couldn't have asked for a better set of… f-f-friends…" the word dragged out of his throat like nails on board. Some of his companions giggled, finding him adorable, and Weevil took it in good nature.

"I have no idea what I did to deserve you, but whatever it was, I hope that I keep doing it again and again, because I'd like to keep you all in my life. Rex was right," said Weevil, ridiculously ruddy-faced. "Among all the gifts I've received for my birthday, friends are the best gifts ever."

With that, Weevil suddenly excused himself and made a break for the men's room, the door slamming behind him as he ran in. Rex shook his head and sighed.

"I'll… I'll go talk to him," he told the others. Upon noticing their worried faces, he added, "It's okay. He's fine. He just doesn't do this often!"

Rex went up to the door and knocked on it. "Weevil? You in there? It's—"

A hand shot out from behind the door and yanked Rex inside by his collar, the latter barely having time to express an "ulp!" before being dragged in.

Weevil was panting deeply, his face soaked in cold water and his hands shaking.

"A-Are you okay?" Rex put his hands on his friend's shoulders and steadied him.

"No, I am NOT!" growled Weevil. "That was… that was vile! Embarrassing! Ridiculous! I am never going to make another friendship speech like that again! Leave it to those other dorks to do so!"

"I think you did great!" complimented Rex. "I liked that last bit about friends being the greatest gifts."

"Yeah, yeah… that wasn't BS just so you know," Weevil said.

"I'm glad, then." Rex tilted his head and smiled at him sunnily.

Weevil eyed him. "Hey Rex?"

"Yeah?"

Suddenly, Weevil's arms were thrown around Rex in a tight embrace, squeezing him deeply.

"Whoa-!" Rex barely had time to react, and his arms were pinned to his sides so that he couldn't exactly hug Weevil back at first, but after squirming around a tad he was able to clasp the sides of his friend and awkwardly pat him.

"Thanks for the wonderful birthday," whispered Weevil.

"Happy Birthday, dude," Rex said, continuing to pat him. "Happy Birthday."


End file.
